With Love, Silvia. [✔️]

Chapter 24 Goodbye Hollow Springs

This is goodbye. I'm leaving forever.

I blink back tears and crumple up the note I was writing. I was writing if for Wes, but the words just wouldn't flow. I gave up and assumed he already knew anyway. My flight would leave in three hours and I wanted some time to myself. I had bid my goodbyes to Emma, Rodger, Owen and Emily, but hadn't said a word to Erica. I felt bad shutting her out, but I had some sort of resentment towards her that was too much to bear.

Three hours. Only three measly hours of Hollow Springs left. I wished it was that beautiful autumn day when I first arrived. When I saw the fireflies, when I tasted Erica's homemade mac 'n' cheese. All that's left now is bitter cold, no love anywhere.

I began to wonder what my life would be like if Mom hadn't died at all. I would never have seen Erica or her family, and I would have stayed right in New York. I would still be going to that stupid old New York school where I had no friends, no happiness. But then again, I would have Mom still. I'd trade that for anything these days.

...........................................................

My three hours of Hollow Springs were over. I lug my suitcase to Dad's car and the whole Hanson family waves to us as we roll down the driveway. I was half expecting a call from Iris and Wes, but my phone never rang. No texts, no voicemails. I guess it'd easier this way. Not being all emotional as we leave.

I had said my goodbyes to Erica, but it wasn't as meaningful as my farewells to the kids.

I felt nothing. That same feeling that I had when I was transported to the airport. Numbness, like nothing mattered anymore. And in a way it didn't. I was leaving the people and place that I love with no hopes of ever seeing them again.

Dad starts the car and I wave to the bawling Emma, painful looking Rodger propped up in a wheelchair, the absent minded twins, and  a saddened Erica.

I never took my eyes off the house as we began to drive away. I looked back until it became blurry dots and I could no longer make out the figure of the house. This was it. I soak in the sights of the oak tress that were bare, and the snow pooling at their roots.

"You can visit them you know." Dad said drumming his fingers on the wheel.

"It's not the same." I say fiercely.

"You could stay the whole summer break if you want." He offered.

I roll my eyes and cross my arms on my chest.

"Silvia. I thought that you'd be happy with this." He said.

"I thought I would be too, but I love them Dad. I love you too, but it feels so strange leaving them." I said breaking my angry shield that blocked all my  emotions out.

"I know. But I think going back to New York will be a good thing." He said turning onto the main road leading us to the airport.

I bite my lip in attempt to keep myself from loosing it.

"I'm afraid I'll be too sad to function because everything in New York will remind me of her. And I miss her so much, I probably couldn't even glance at a police car without bawling. And there are a lot of police in New York." I say hugging Mom's jacket around me.

"Letting these emotions out is ok. You've been so tough, just face it your mom is dead. You can cry!" Dad said half shouting.

Was he mad or trying to comfort me?

"Well thanks for the permission." I say sarcastically.

"No, no. I didn't mean it like that. All I mean is that you can break down once in a while. This is a tough thing and I wouldn't judge if you cry every time you see a cop car." Dad said in a much softer tone.

"Thanks." I squeak as the lump forming in my throat grew and grew.

..................................................

We make it to the airport and wait in line to get our tickets scanned to board the plane. When we were cleared, Dad and I found our seats near the middle of the plane. I sat next to  the window and flipped my phone open. I had a text message, from Wes!

I sucked in my breath and opened it. It said,

hMMyashg34

Must've butt dialed me or something.

In frustration I snapped my phone shut and stuffed it into my bag. Dad eyed me suspiciously but continued to read the magazine that the airplane provided.

I sat looking out the window at all the little people loading the plane up. I rested my head against the cool glass of the plane. I heard the intercom snap on and our pilot's voice sounded.

"Attention passengers, due to extreme snow our flight will be delayed for about three hours. We advise you stay in the plane and we will be sending our refreshment carts out soon. Thank you, and sorry for the delay."

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. Dad was still locked into whatever he was reading in the plane magazine. Looked like an add for a personal submarine you could use in your own pool. Looked pretty useless to me.

I sat there for a while, but I realized that sitting doing nothing wouldn't make these three hours go any faster. So I adjusted myself and closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

.............................................................................................

I woke up to a violent shaking and I saw the ground grow smaller as we took off. I must've slept through the delay...

It was chilly on the plane, partly because planes are always cold, and because the air was below freezing and I could see little snowflakes on the window. I wrapped Mom's jacket closer to my body, but it's thin leather material didn't provide much warmth.

I saw a stewardess come by with a coffee cart. I nudged Dad.

"Can I get a cup? I'm freezing." I say as the lady comes toward us.

"Sure." He mumbled and went back to the nap he was taking.

I got my coffee and stirred some of the cream and sugar the stewardess gave me. She also handed me a blanket when she saw how cold I was. I spread it out on my lap and raised the coffee to my lips. It wasn't the best, but I was defiantly a little warmer. I set it carefully back in my lap, just as the plane started to rock due to turbulence, giving me a lap-full of coffee.

I was warm alright.

I grumbled and threw the stained blanket off my lap and hugged my knees to my chest. I wanted to see some pretty scenery, like on my flight to Hollow Springs, but the air was filled with clouds and snow so all I saw was white.

So much for that.

Then, out of the blue, my phone buzzed. I picked it up and it said,

NEW MESSAGE FROM WES BIANO.

I opened it to find an actual phrase, and not and accidental text.

I miss you already. Sorry I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye in person. Hollow Springs won't be the same without you. <3

I closed my phone as my eyes watered.

I would miss him too.

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HIIII! Sorry about the super long delay! I seriously had to rewrite this like 6,000 times to make it seem halfway good. But anyway.... Hope you enjoyed and I promise I will update sometime this week!

-alexa_writes